Pilgrim Lodge Chapel

Part One

This new minister’s incomparable perfection,

he’s smart,

has heart,

is hard working,

and good looking,

is enough to turn all eyes in his direction.

You realize I am his friend,

and will say things he would amend.

I will say things he would prevent

but I have the floor, and, am here by him, sent.

The bad news I speak,

his outlook bleak,

because I know what with him he brought,

a storm no Mainer ever sought,

from the far left coast of hip Seattle,

it made PL look like a battle.

Before he came

our weather was the same,

year in, year out,

even if when we had a little drought,

a little snow, a little cold,

winter never was so bold,

then he arrived

our winter dived,

and icy weather came

the ‘98 winter was never the same.

He brought it with him I declare,

just look at him, go ahead and stare.

He came from away

the storm came, listen, it came, almost the next day.

Broken branches on ground,

dragged from Bryan anguishing sounds,

Oh what to do, how can we cope?

an Ice Clean Social, that’s our hope!

Believers came from far and wide,

to clean our camp from side to side,

an annual tradition was born

out of that terrible icy storm.

Brush was cleared and burned and chipped,

making the camp seem neatly clipped.

Ancient piled trash is gone,

now, look! over there! a spotted fawn;

(Only kidding

but I see you’ll do my bidding,

when I need to find a rhyme

you are clay in these hands of mine.)

Enough about Bryan,

we don’t want to set him a cryin’,

Let’s talk instead about our Pilgrim Lodge

an important matter we shouldn’t dodge,

Since PL was the assigned the subject of this poem,

I must talk about it before we go home,

or trouble I will find at the party after,

but from Bryan there I hoped for more laughter.

Part Two

Out on the morning placid lake,

at the moment of God’s daybreak,

splendid colorations lightly scatter,

as campers awaken to frying batter,

on the porch the bell does ring,

all campers arise to come and sing,

then sit to eat, and discover

the best treat, is each other.

Come late August and the setting sun,

suddenly PL summer’s done;

but PL memories tarry,

till children are grown and married,

with campers of their own to send,

who uncover similar camping friends,

on the shores of this wild lake

where God’s people gather, for God’s good sake.

For here a child’s faith is formed,

and human souls with beauty adorned,

all around us God is living,

and through bugs and birds is giving,

to the children who here do find,

the love of God in arms like mine,

in arms of spruce, fir and pine,

all God’s children young and old do find,

that when ever souls like yours,

are one with God out of doors,

here gathered in a Christian community,

we discover God’s loving unity

and name it Pilgrim Lodge.